“The level of precision here is amazing; they might very well be the finest producer in Argentina.” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Manic? No. It’s just another MALBEC MONDAY!

Make it next level, stack the scores… and then drop it down to a rock-bottom price, best anywhere.

98 points plus a couple of 97s. One helluva wine for $69. And with just a handful of cases to share, only our savviest (and quickest) serious red wine connoisseurs will get a shot at it.

This is what we expect from Zuccardi. Named “New World Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2022, they are in a league of their own.

Vinous explains “Zuccardi’s journey is a summation of the contemporary Argentine wine scene. Today, the estate makes some of the most interesting reds… The Zuccardis were also champions of new soil-focused approaches, of which their parcel wines are excellent examples. Between 2008 and 2022 they created an extremely distinguished technical team whose creativity is matched by their execution. During that period the first Zuccardi Aluvional appeared… a paradigm that represents the new Argentina; one that pushes the boundaries with well-defined concepts and tangible results.”

And they’re OBSESSED with terroir.

According to the winery, Aluvional is “a selection of the best soils of alluvial origin in the Uco Valley, in Mendoza. The particularities of each plot are made known through the variety that best represents the region: Malbec. The erosive force of these alluviums; generated by melting glaciers and descending water, ice, and rocks with brutal force can be seen in soils with the presence of rocks of great magnitude; rounded edges, and great heterogeneity. In the elaboration of Zuccardi Aluvional, the aim is to highlight the uniqueness and typicity of each terroir.”

This obsession comes through in the wine loud and clear. It’s dark, brooding, and delivers a flavor-savory GOLLUP of fruit! Draped floor to ceiling in a rich gradient of black and blues. Blueberries, blackberries, and ripe plums. Black pepper, wet stones, and fresh cedar. Gorgeous violet notes too. Seamless, long, and intellectually satisfying, and if you’re lucky enough to get one please share with others. Or just keep it for yourself. Your call!

Just make sure you get some first. Near-perfect Malbec at this price is not a common sight…

98 Points – Descorchados “A good example of the Gualtallary style of Malbec, grown more than 1,400 meters above sea level at the foot of the Andes on alluvial soils with calcium carbonate-covered gravel, as is the case of this Aluvional, which offers a drier and much more austere side than examples of the variety that come from sandy aeolian soils. There’s no fruity explosion here, but rather mineral aromatic notes and a firm, severe texture with tannins that impose themselves on the palate, leaving the notes of ripe red fruit in the background. A Malbec with a strong sense of place. And finally, the heat of the 2020 season—one of the warmest in the last two decades—is not perceptible here among the flowers, herbs, and sour cherries.”

97 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate “The Zuccardi family has eight vineyards in the Valle de Uco; they are planting 35 hectares of white in San Pablo, one of the best places for whites for them, and they keep buying more land and vineyards there, working mostly organically, but they have to find a solution for the ants. So, there’s no certification in any of the wines there; it’s on the way - no herbicides or any systemic treatments - but right now they cannot certify the vineyard. They have around 300 hectares of vines planted in smaller (40- to 50-hectare) vineyards and produce 1.7 million bottles. But they focus on vineyard work in Altamira, San Pablo and Gualtallary. They are gradually abandoning the 500-liter barrels and moving more to large oak foudres of 2,500 and 5,000 liters. Polígonos are village wines, Aluvional are lieu-dit (paraje) wines, and then there are the single vineyard wines - and even sub plots! For Sebastián Zuccardi, 2019 and 2022 have been excellent and cooler years, 2019 being the best. The wines are phenomenal, the work they do is impressive, and they are at the very top of the pyramid of the quality producers from Argentina. The level of precision here is amazing; they might very well be the finest producer in Argentina at the moment. The 2020 Aluvional Gualtallary is more floral and expressive, a little more exuberant than the 2019 I tasted next to it. In 2020, they harvested some 10 days earlier than in 2019 (they started in February!), and the wines finished with similar alcohol levels (14%) and even with a slightly lower pH and higher acidity in 2020, so with very good freshness. They fermented with some 30% to 50% of stems in the vinification (they use grapes from three different vineyards that are vinified separately, all in the Monasterio part of Gualtallary) and matured the wine in concrete. This is very young, and the palate reveals the inner notes of thyme and rockrose, the violets and the small berries. The texture is akin to liquid chalk, a mineral and austere wine, with very fine tannins and a long, dry finish. Drink 2023-2032.”

97 Points – James Suckling “A beautiful Gualtallary here with a concentrated but linear center-palate. The tannins are very tight, holistic and close-knit, which is different from the melted, mineral and powdery tannin texture of Paraje Altamira. Wild herbs, mineral, oyster shells and blueberries. Compact and powerful. Better from 2026.”

96 Points – Decanter “Dark fruits, olive tapenade with savoury, herbal, dried scrubland notes on the nose. Rich, fleshy, round and juicy, a generous and forward expression straight away, chalky too. So charming, open and expressive with purity and clarity but super fun and friendly. I love the expression, it makes you want food and gives Malbec typicity more than some of the other Zuccardi wines but still with tension and elegant overall presentation of the tannins. Ends chalky and fresh, mentholated with tobacco, liquorice, dark chocolate and really dark blackcurrants, cherries and plums. Here the challenge is to keep finesse and winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi has succeeded. I love the openness, it’s out to please and shine and it does - friendly, juicy, full of flavour and ripeness, but you know it still has finesse and nothing feels overworked. From vines at 1,350m on limestone. Never 100% whole bunch fermented, usually between 30-50% for this wine. Drink 2024-2040.”